Linh Nguyen

MediumDraftingProspect

Schedule CMarried filing jointlyTXMeera KapoorAnnualReturn on file

Est. current income

$228,000

vs $196,000 prior year

Effective rate

20.8%

Marginal bracket

24% ordinary

Dec 31 hard stops

At a glance

Income trend

+16%

$196K → $228K AGI

Next-dollar rate

22%

Marginal · MFJ

Roth conversion room

$9K

To top of the 22% bracket

Cliffs to watch

Top of 22% ordinary bracket (MFJ)
QBI phase-in top (MFJ)
Top of 24% ordinary bracket (MFJ)

This year: Equipment placed in service by Dec 31 = full §179/bonus deduction

Entity exposure

Sole proprietor (Sch C)

Schedules C, SE

State footprint

Single-state filer

Income mix

1 source

Schedule C business income

Year-over-year briefing

2026 Return Summary (projected)

AGI: $228,000
Taxable income: $198,000
Total tax: $41,200
Effective / marginal: 20.8% · 24%
Withholding + estimates: $32,660
Estimated balance due: $8,540

Estimated Payments & Safe Harbor

Paid

$10,500

Paid

$10,500

Paid

$11,660

Due

$5,060

Safe harbor (110% of 2025 tax ($30,600))Shortfall

Paid $32,660 of $37,720$5,060 due by Jan 15

3-Year Trend

Metric	2024	2025	2026proj	Change
AGI	$176,000	$196,000	$228,000	+30%
Total tax	$26,300	$30,600	$41,200	+57%
Effective rate	17.5%	18.2%	20.8%	+19%

Carryforward Ledger

No material carryforwards on the prior return.

What's Different This Year

Equipment placed in service by Dec 31 = full §179/bonus deduction
First hire triggers payroll, withholding, and possible credits
Income comfortably under the QBI phase-in — preserve §199A

Added

Planned first equipment purchasePlanned first W-2 employee

Notable

First capital equipment purchase under considerationHiring a first employee — payroll setup neededUnder the QBI threshold, so §199A is fully available

Tax anatomy

Income by Tax Bracket

How income fills the ordinary brackets, with capital gains stacked on top. Dashed lines mark each bracket ceiling — the gap above is your room.

10% top · $24k

12% top · $97k

22% top · $207k

Standard deduction$30,000

10% bracket$23,850

12% bracket$73,100

22% bracket$101,050

Room before

$8,700

of income before crossing into the next bracket

Marginal Rate Curve

The true rate on the next dollar across added income — decomposed so you can see which tax drives each spike.

22%

on the next dollar at +$0

22% bracket; §199A fully available below the phase-in

+$0+$150k

Ordinary bracket

MAGI Phase-Out Map

Where this client sits against each threshold — and what crossing it costs.

bracketTop of 22% ordinary bracket (MFJ)$21k over

MAGI $228k · threshold $207kcrossing: next dollar taxed at 24%

creditQBI phase-in top (MFJ)$176k room

MAGI $228k · threshold $404kcrossing: SSTB/wage limits begin to bind above this

bracketTop of 24% ordinary bracket (MFJ)$167k room

MAGI $228k · threshold $395kcrossing: next dollar taxed at 32%

Elan

Grounded on Linh Nguyen

Nothing outstanding for Linh Nguyen right now.

Elan brought this to you

Nothing needs you for Linh Nguyen right now.

Year-over-year briefing

2026 Return Summary (projected)

AGI: $228,000
Taxable income: $198,000
Total tax: $41,200
Effective / marginal: 20.8% · 24%
Withholding + estimates: $32,660
Estimated balance due: $8,540

Estimated Payments & Safe Harbor

Paid

$10,500

Paid

$10,500

Paid

$11,660

Due

$5,060

Safe harbor (110% of 2025 tax ($30,600))Shortfall

Paid $32,660 of $37,720$5,060 due by Jan 15

3-Year Trend

Metric	2024	2025	2026proj	Change
AGI	$176,000	$196,000	$228,000	+30%
Total tax	$26,300	$30,600	$41,200	+57%
Effective rate	17.5%	18.2%	20.8%	+19%

Carryforward Ledger

No material carryforwards on the prior return.

What's Different This Year

Equipment placed in service by Dec 31 = full §179/bonus deduction
First hire triggers payroll, withholding, and possible credits
Income comfortably under the QBI phase-in — preserve §199A

Added

Planned first equipment purchasePlanned first W-2 employee

Notable

First capital equipment purchase under considerationHiring a first employee — payroll setup neededUnder the QBI threshold, so §199A is fully available

Tax anatomy

Income by Tax Bracket

How income fills the ordinary brackets, with capital gains stacked on top. Dashed lines mark each bracket ceiling — the gap above is your room.

10% top · $24k

12% top · $97k

22% top · $207k

Standard deduction$30,000

10% bracket$23,850

12% bracket$73,100

22% bracket$101,050

Room before

$8,700

of income before crossing into the next bracket

Marginal Rate Curve

The true rate on the next dollar across added income — decomposed so you can see which tax drives each spike.

22%

on the next dollar at +$0

22% bracket; §199A fully available below the phase-in

+$0+$150k

Ordinary bracket

MAGI Phase-Out Map

Where this client sits against each threshold — and what crossing it costs.

bracketTop of 22% ordinary bracket (MFJ)$21k over

MAGI $228k · threshold $207kcrossing: next dollar taxed at 24%

creditQBI phase-in top (MFJ)$176k room

MAGI $228k · threshold $404kcrossing: SSTB/wage limits begin to bind above this

bracketTop of 24% ordinary bracket (MFJ)$167k room

MAGI $228k · threshold $395kcrossing: next dollar taxed at 32%